Landscaping IDEAS for Hillside Backyard

Angie’s List member Tim Kelly of Huntersville, N.C., and his family own a home on a severely sloping golf course lot. Due to the slope, their backyard was, unfortunately, virtually useless.

“After living here for several years, we decided to invest in making the backyard functional, ” he says.

Beginning in early 2012, the Kelly family started seriously considering hardscape and spent several months researching ideas, materials and contractors.

Through their research, they settled on a basic idea of what they were looking for: a flat yard space and a firepit area.

"Who to hire was a big decision for us for many reasons (and the reason we joined Angie's List), " Kelly says. "Many contractors did not have viable solutions to address the easement between our property and the golf course, others wanted a substantial deposit upfront, [and] others could not complete the project within our required time frame."

Because the family lives on a golf course, the primary obstacle they faced with their desired upgrade was appeasing their homeowners association (HOA).

“There is a 50-foot easement, which we wanted to breach with the lower retaining wall, ” Kelly says. “The purpose of the easement is to ensure golfers can retrieve their golf balls if they hit onto my property. The final design included an access point for golfers, which satisfied the HOA.”

Of the outcome, Kelly says, “We could not be happier. The final product looks great. It's nice to be able to enjoy our outdoor space, especially considering that we live in an area with a climate that allows for outdoor living approximately 10 months out of the year. My only complaint is that I don't have more time to spend out there!”